The present invention is generally directed to a welding machine and, more specifically, a welding machine for welding multiple links to a bar.
A number of U.S. patents disclose welding machines that perform welding operations on a cylindrical workpiece. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,047 is directed to a welding machine that includes a housing that has a head stock section at one end and a tail stock section at an opposite end. The head and tail stock sections each include a rotating chuck. The chucks define a rotating support axis for mounting a workpiece, such as a crankshaft. A carriage, which is mounted for movement on the housing between the head and tail stock sections, includes a welding torch assembly mounted thereto, such that it can be adjustably positioned relative to the workpiece.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,471,201 and 4,271,346 are directed to a welding apparatus that includes a frame and a head and tail stock chucks each of which rotatably support a crankshaft relative to the frame. A welding torch is carried by a movable carriage that is shiftable relative to the crankshaft in a direction generally parallel to the central axis of the crankshaft. The welding torch is capable of moving in circular paths such that a tip of the torch closely follows orbiting movement of crank pins and journals of the crankshaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,232 is directed to an apparatus that is constructed to weld two end sections to opposite ends of a hollow rod. A rotatable holding and clamping device is engaged to hold the two end sections. Each of the rotatable holding and clamping devices may be equipped with a synchronized electric drive motor. The hollow rod and the end sections are initially tacked and the drive motor is engaged to rotate the tacked components while the torches form annular welds to affix the end sections to the hollow rod. U.S. Pat. No. 3,634,648 is directed to an apparatus for welding a pair of flanges about a periphery of a cylindrical member to form an axle shaft or to weld a pair of spider brakes onto an axle shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,251,324 is directed to a combined assembling press and welding machine that attaches fittings to an end of a shaft by rotating the fittings and the shaft during a welding operation. While a number of the U.S. patents described above disclose a welding machine that independently positions and welds two components to a cylindrical workpiece, without removing the workpiece from the machine, none of the above-described U.S. patents disclose a welding machine that welds more than two components to a cylindrical workpiece, without requiring removal of the workpiece from the machine.
What is needed is a welding machine that is capable of welding more than two components to a cylindrical workpiece, without requiring removal of the workpiece from the machine. It would also be desirable if the welding machine was capable of automatically unloading the completed assembly after the welding operation is complete.